Is 2022 'Golden Age' of K-pop Girl Groups? Music Officials, Critics Explain
Do K-pop girl groups dominate the music scene more than male groups in 2022? In an article, music officials and critics explained why this year is dubbed the "golden age" of female acts.
KMCA Emphasizes Increase in Girl Groups' Sales in 2022
On September 13, Choi Kwang Ho, the secretary-general of the Korea Music Contents Association (KMCA), said:
"The girl group's share in music sales rose to 78% in the first half of this year. It is clear that (girl groups) are in the spotlight this year because the weak album sales increased compared to the previous year."
Girl groups are not only proving their power through album sales but teams such as IVE, NewJeans, BLACKPINK, Girls' Generation, aespa and more also reigning on the MelOn chart, one of the most popular music-streaming charts in Korea.
This is especially true for the fourth week of August and the first week of September wherein all of the top 10 songs are released by female idol songs for two consecutive weeks, excluding the two songs.
NewJeans
Is 2022 'Golden Age' of K-pop Girl Groups? Music Critics Explain
Looking at their performances, female idols ave recently received high public attention to the extent that 2022 is being called the "golden age" of K-pop girl groups.
Music critic Lee Kyu Tak and former idol trainer In Ji Woong agreed that female idols were able to gain popularity because they strategically pursued popularity.
The critic said:
"It has become difficult to find popular songs among male idols after BTS, but female idols aimed well at most fans who wanted popular songs. They made the song with an easy-to-listen melody overall."
Various concepts of female idols such as "Narcissism" (IVE) and "High Teen Innocence" (NewJeans) are also popular factors.
Former trainer stated:
"From the time of the third generation to the fourth generation, the groups were marked with a girl crush concept, and fans sent negative feedback because sales would not occur unless the girl group aims for publicity. Since then, the girl groups have come up with a concept that does not overlap with each other."
Some of the most popular songs this year include IVE's "After LIKE," NewJeans' "Hype Boy," "BLACKPINK's "Pink Venom," SNSD's "FOREVER 1," (G)I-DLE's "TOMBOY," Red Velvet's "Feel My Rhythm," aespa's "Illusion," and more, which have different genres.
Aside from the girl groups' songs having easy melodies yet unique genres, the music critic also pointed out that the increase in young female fans contributed to the popularity of girl groups.
"Women teenagers are enthusiastic about NewJeans and IVE, where teenage members are located because they spend it as a 'Wannabe' beyond singers. This is also the reason why the girl group was able to gain sensational popularity."
READ MORE: Experts Choose Top 4 Fourth-Gen K-pop Groups— Who's #1 in Male & Female Categories?
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Written by Eunice Dawson
